Hey, a couple of days ago I was using my laptop and it randomly shut off, I thought nothing of it at the time and just turned it back on, however, yesterday the same thing happened but this time, it won't turn back on. I have tried removing the battery and trying to turn it on with just the cable plugged in, which didn't work. Strangly, the little light on the ac cable block doesn't work either (however, the battery in the laptop seems to have charge in it) I'm not sure what information I need to provide but I'll be watching this thread closely.
Alienware M17X R4 randomly died
- Thread starter Jack_E
- Start date
Solution
Rit_86
Honorable
- Jul 3, 2012
- 149
- 0
- 10,910
Sorry for the delay. Got caught up in some boring office work.
Anyway, the battery is not probably not flat. I think what had happened was, the last time you were using the laptop, the power adapter was not supplying it proper power and was running on battery power. When the battery exhausted, you got the random shutdown. A fully exhausted battery can show some weird problems like this problem I tried to help with
http
/www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-2428398/led-battery-orange-laptop-start.html?siteFrom=EPR-8807#xtor=EPR-8807
and this will explain why the laptop is showing some charge left in it. It is probably because the battery calibration has gone all haywire when the charge ran out.
Since you have already tried to run the laptop on mains power only and failed to do so, it nearly rules out battery problem.
Hence check your power adapter with a multimeter if you have one or check it with a spare one or go for a new one.
Since your adapter has shown some fault in its own functioning, the best guess is, the fault lies there.
If it still doesn't help, take it to a service center.
Anyway, the battery is not probably not flat. I think what had happened was, the last time you were using the laptop, the power adapter was not supplying it proper power and was running on battery power. When the battery exhausted, you got the random shutdown. A fully exhausted battery can show some weird problems like this problem I tried to help with
http
/www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-2428398/led-battery-orange-laptop-start.html?siteFrom=EPR-8807#xtor=EPR-8807and this will explain why the laptop is showing some charge left in it. It is probably because the battery calibration has gone all haywire when the charge ran out.
Since you have already tried to run the laptop on mains power only and failed to do so, it nearly rules out battery problem.
Hence check your power adapter with a multimeter if you have one or check it with a spare one or go for a new one.
Since your adapter has shown some fault in its own functioning, the best guess is, the fault lies there.
If it still doesn't help, take it to a service center.
Rit_86 :
Sorry for the delay. Got caught up in some boring office work.
Anyway, the battery is not probably not flat. I think what had happened was, the last time you were using the laptop, the power adapter was not supplying it proper power and was running on battery power. When the battery exhausted, you got the random shutdown. A fully exhausted battery can show some weird problems like this problem I tried to help with
http/www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-2428398/led-battery-orange-laptop-start.html?siteFrom=EPR-8807#xtor=EPR-8807
and this will explain why the laptop is showing some charge left in it. It is probably because the battery calibration has gone all haywire when the charge ran out.
Since you have already tried to run the laptop on mains power only and failed to do so, it nearly rules out battery problem.
Hence check your power adapter with a multimeter if you have one or check it with a spare one or go for a new one.
Since your adapter has shown some fault in its own functioning, the best guess is, the fault lies there.
If it still doesn't help, take it to a service center.
Anyway, the battery is not probably not flat. I think what had happened was, the last time you were using the laptop, the power adapter was not supplying it proper power and was running on battery power. When the battery exhausted, you got the random shutdown. A fully exhausted battery can show some weird problems like this problem I tried to help with
http
/www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-2428398/led-battery-orange-laptop-start.html?siteFrom=EPR-8807#xtor=EPR-8807and this will explain why the laptop is showing some charge left in it. It is probably because the battery calibration has gone all haywire when the charge ran out.
Since you have already tried to run the laptop on mains power only and failed to do so, it nearly rules out battery problem.
Hence check your power adapter with a multimeter if you have one or check it with a spare one or go for a new one.
Since your adapter has shown some fault in its own functioning, the best guess is, the fault lies there.
If it still doesn't help, take it to a service center.
Thanks a lot for the help, I just have one last question. I've heard that the light on the ac adapter going off when plugged into a laptop can be a sign of a motherboard failure, is there any truth to this? Thanks again for your continued support
Rit_86
Honorable
- Jul 3, 2012
- 149
- 0
- 10,910
To be honest, yes. It can be a sign of a mobo failure. Since it is one of the most complex and expensive repairs, you've got to rule out all other possibilities. But it is also very rare on modern mobos which has not undergone any accidents (like liquid spills) and is even rarer on high end ones like yours. That is why you have to be absolutely sure it is nothing else.
Power adapter failures on the other hand are very common, especially as it gets older. If yours is within the warranty period, you can get it checked out by a service center. However, if it is not, we have to be sure about the adapter part. You can just check it out with a multimeter and it takes only a second. Or you can see if someone can lend you his adapter just to check.
If it is the adapter, it is quite cheap and easy. If it is the mobo however, it is prohibitively expensive to replace it (better to buy a new one in that case) or even if it is repaired, in most of the cases it is super unreliable and will most definitely go wrong again in the near future.
Power adapter failures on the other hand are very common, especially as it gets older. If yours is within the warranty period, you can get it checked out by a service center. However, if it is not, we have to be sure about the adapter part. You can just check it out with a multimeter and it takes only a second. Or you can see if someone can lend you his adapter just to check.
If it is the adapter, it is quite cheap and easy. If it is the mobo however, it is prohibitively expensive to replace it (better to buy a new one in that case) or even if it is repaired, in most of the cases it is super unreliable and will most definitely go wrong again in the near future.
Nick Wijkhuisen
Estimable
- Jan 7, 2015
- 1
- 0
- 4,510
Try to remove the battery, unplug the power chord and pres the power button a lot like 20 seconds pres and hold it like 5 times, the capacitors and crap will empty their energy that's been left there.. be sure to use a working power chord not one thats defect. then plug your power chord but dont put the battery back in, check if it boots, if its not booting without battery then try with. if it is booting without battery it means your battery is dead but to be sure you have to put the battery back in plug the power chord and boot if its booting it was a mother board failure if its still not booting then i would send it back to alienware and ask the golden question. y u not working? me guesta.
pure3owner
Estimable
- May 30, 2015
- 1
- 0
- 4,510
so i think i might found the solution to all these alienware problems with them not turning back on after sleep mode or shut down. So i think the (GPU Temperature Sensor) is all screwed up on most alienware laptops and once you shut your laptop down or put it on sleep mode for some reason it thinks its overheating all the time and wont turn on. It happens to me 5 out of 10 times i shut my laptop down or put it on sleep. what i did to fix this problem is if it wont turn on get an Air Conditioner and put the back of your laptop where gpu is on the ac and let it blow on it for about 5-10 mins and then it will turn on but you have to have the power cable in the laptop. i think the cold air from the ac messes with the GPU Temperature Sensor and brings it back to normal somehow give it a try and let me know if it works.
PJKearnage
Estimable
- Oct 14, 2015
- 1
- 0
- 4,510
Hey Jack_E,
Did you mange to fix your issue? I have a new Alienware 17 R2 that is less than 2 months old doing the same thing
Did you mange to fix your issue? I have a new Alienware 17 R2 that is less than 2 months old doing the same thing
UkrainFeet
Commendable
- Jan 24, 2017
- 1
- 0
- 1,510
Hey I had something like this problem. M17x r3 battery stopped working randomly. If I check on the battery the light indicator showed it was fully charged. But I could not start the computer without plugging it in. And if I pulled out the cable when it was running it would shut off instantly.
But there was no indication on the computer or notification telling me that the battery was dead. Computer actually showed hundred percent. after reading this post all I did was pull out the battery and hold the power button for 20 seconds three times. And it started up with the battery. . So thanks for your help.
But there was no indication on the computer or notification telling me that the battery was dead. Computer actually showed hundred percent. after reading this post all I did was pull out the battery and hold the power button for 20 seconds three times. And it started up with the battery. . So thanks for your help.
Rit_86 :
Sorry for the delay. Got caught up in some boring office work.
Anyway, the battery is not probably not flat. I think what had happened was, the last time you were using the laptop, the power adapter was not supplying it proper power and was running on battery power. When the battery exhausted, you got the random shutdown. A fully exhausted battery can show some weird problems like this problem I tried to help with
http/www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-2428398/led-battery-orange-laptop-start.html?siteFrom=EPR-8807#xtor=EPR-8807
and this will explain why the laptop is showing some charge left in it. It is probably because the battery calibration has gone all haywire when the charge ran out.
Since you have already tried to run the laptop on mains power only and failed to do so, it nearly rules out battery problem.
Hence check your power adapter with a multimeter if you have one or check it with a spare one or go for a new one.
Since your adapter has shown some fault in its own functioning, the best guess is, the fault lies there.
If it still doesn't help, take it to a service center.
Anyway, the battery is not probably not flat. I think what had happened was, the last time you were using the laptop, the power adapter was not supplying it proper power and was running on battery power. When the battery exhausted, you got the random shutdown. A fully exhausted battery can show some weird problems like this problem I tried to help with
http
/www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-2428398/led-battery-orange-laptop-start.html?siteFrom=EPR-8807#xtor=EPR-8807and this will explain why the laptop is showing some charge left in it. It is probably because the battery calibration has gone all haywire when the charge ran out.
Since you have already tried to run the laptop on mains power only and failed to do so, it nearly rules out battery problem.
Hence check your power adapter with a multimeter if you have one or check it with a spare one or go for a new one.
Since your adapter has shown some fault in its own functioning, the best guess is, the fault lies there.
If it still doesn't help, take it to a service center.
Nearly same problem for me with alienware 18. Except runs off of battery fine, and charges battery when laptop is off. My problem is that it will randonely turn off between 2-10 minutes after turning on with PS plugged in only. Took battery out, power supply in, random shut down. Battery only no shut down. Sound like power supply or motherboard? And where do I get a 330w PS?
Jack, I had the same issue with my Alienware M17 R4. I sent it in for repair, they replaced the motherboard as they said it was burnt out. Got it back been running for 3 weeks and same issue again. Once it goes in for testing i will post an update to the issue.
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